Brahmachari vs Bhramachari: Which one do you want to be?

A Brahmachari is a person who is dedicated to the pursuit and service of the Supreme Absolute Truth.

ब्रह्म आचरति इति ब्रह्मचारी

brahma ācarati iti brahmacāri

And a Bhramachari is a person is the exact opposite.

The Sanskrit word “bhrama” means “illusion”.

So, someone who chases after illusory happiness is the opposite of someone who dedicates themselves to the Absolute Truth.

What got me thinking was a typo. The person writing was referring to a gentleman who is solidly dedicated to the Supreme Absolute Truth. At first I chuckled, but then I started thinking about the difference between the two.

I concluded that I can be one or the other at any given time, either I am engaged in the service of the Supreme Absolute Truth, or I am engaged in something frivolous that is temporary at best, illusory in nature.

Human society is divided by God into 4 natural orders of spiritual life, and 4 social orders, according to the natural qualities and work performed by the various people. And Brahmacharis can exist in all spiritual and social orders. This natural division is clearly visible in the nature and activities of people, it’s not the birth-based caste system as it has degenerated to.

चातुर्वर्ण्यं मया सृष्टं गुणकर्मविभागशः ।
तस्य कर्तारमपि मां विद्ध्यकर्तारमव्ययम् ॥ १३ ॥

cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ
guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ
tasya kartāram api māṁ
viddhy akartāram avyayam

According to the three modes of material nature and the work associated with them, the four divisions of human society are created by Me. And although I am the creator of this system, you should know that I am yet the nondoer, being unchangeable. https://vedabase.io/en/library/bg/4/13/

The 4 Social Orders are:

• Brahmanas: The intelligent class, the “head” of society
• Kshatriyas: The administrator class, the “arms” of society
• Vaishyas: The mercantile community, merchants, traders, farmers, the “belly” of society
• Shudras: The worker class, the “legs” of society

And then there are the 4 spiritual orders:

• Brahmachari: The celibate student
• Grihastha: The householder family man
• Vanaprastha: The former householder, retired from family life
• Sannyasa: The fully renounced order of life

However, no matter which social or spiritual order one may be situated in…

अत: पुम्भिर्द्विजश्रेष्ठा वर्णाश्रमविभागश: ।
स्वनुष्ठितस्य धर्मस्य संसिद्धिर्हरितोषणम् ॥ १३ ॥

ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā
varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ
svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya
saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam

O best among the twice-born, it is therefore concluded that the highest perfection one can achieve by discharging the duties prescribed for one’s own occupation according to caste divisions and orders of life is to please the Personality of Godhead. https://vedabase.io/en/library/sb/1/2/13/

All these 4 orders of society are meant to serve God in their own way, just like the different parts of the body serves the whole – the hand feeds the stomach, the leg moves the body, and the brain regulates the hand, stomach, and legs. One without the others is a handicapped body, not very effective. Neither is one more or less important than others.

By following the activities according to one’s own nature, and offering that in the service of God, one can indeed attain perfection.

यत: प्रवृत्तिर्भूतानां येन सर्वमिदं ततम् ।
स्वकर्मणा तमभ्यर्च्य सिद्धिं विन्दति मानव: ॥ ४६ ॥

yataḥ pravṛttir bhūtānāṁ
yena sarvam idaṁ tatam
sva-karmaṇā tam abhyarcya
siddhiṁ vindati mānavaḥ

By worship of the Lord, who is the source of all beings and who is all-pervading, a man can attain perfection through performing his own work. https://vedabase.io/en/library/bg/18/46/

Which now brings us to the main topic of our discussion…

No matter where we might fit into society, we are all meant to serve God with all our faculties, with all our gifts, with all our abilities, and all our resources.

This is how one may remain a Brahmachari, no matter where one may be situated in…

• Brahmacharis in the Brahmachari Ashrama – these are either students or those dedicated to spiritual life without deviation, and/or preparing themselves for the renounced order, usually younger men, but also many older men. Being in young bodies or being inexperienced does not mean they can pursue unrestricted sense enjoyment.

• Grihastha Brahmacharis, or those who pursue spiritual life even while accepting the responsibilities of householder or family life. It’s not that taking on family responsibilities give the person to pursue illusion in an unrestricted manner.

• Vanaprastha Brahmacharis, or those who have retired from family life, or decided to marry a like-minded person dedicated to spiritual life – even while living as a married couple, they have no family responsibilities. However, just because they are not directly responsible for their family doesn’t mean they don’t accept responsibility for other Grihasthas and Brahmacharis. The dedicate themselves to being on “constant pilgrimage” and leveraging their life experience and spiritual knowledge to benefit others.

• Sannyasa Brahmacharis, or those who are in the renounced order of life, with no family or social connections. But just because someone is in the renounced order of life doesn’t mean they don’t do anything. In fact, they adopt the whole world as their family, meeting others just so they can convey God Consciousness, Krishna Consciousness to them, and staying just long enough to deliver the message and keep moving on.

Importantly, one needs to remain focused on the goal of life, which is to attain spiritual perfection. The way one expresses one’s Brahmacharya, or dedication to spiritual advancement, may look different depending on which Varna and Ashram one is in, but the principles of a regulated spiritually focused life remain.

No matter if you are a man or woman, young or old, whether you wear white, or saffron, or any other colour… If you’re serious about spiritual life, then you must be a Brahmachari, in every thought, word, and deed.

So we have a choice, no matter what our official social and spiritual status might be. At every moment, with every thought, word, and deed, we all need to be Brahmacharis, not Bhramacharis.

Thoughts?